"The distinction between Greece and Italy from the point of view of markets is massively different" than a few years ago, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti told CNBC.
The Greek cabinet approved a draft bill spelling out reforms required by the EU and the IMF on Friday, taking Athens closer to getting a new 130 billion-euro bailout after the prime minister warned the alternative was "catastrophe."
After appearing to be resolved, Greece's bailout is unraveling again. Renewed fears of a Greek default sparked a broad selloff in financial markets Friday.
Greece's largest police union has threatened to issue arrest warrants for officials from the country's European Union and International Monetary Fund lenders for demanding deeply unpopular austerity measures.
European shares ended the week lower after euro zone leaders imposed further conditions on Greece to receive its next rescue package and the country's far-right leader said he could not vote in favor of the bailout deal.
Citigroup was forced to write off $50 million after two traders accused of attempting to influence global lending rates left the bank, according to people familiar with a worldwide investigation that is gathering pace, the Financial Times reports.
Greek political leaders said they had clinched a deal on economic reforms and spending cuts needed to secure a second bailout, but euro zone finance ministers demanded more measures and a parliamentary seal of approval before providing the aid.
Greek leaders clinched a long-stalled deal on reforms and austerity measures needed to secure a bailout and avoid a messy default just hours before the country's financial backers were to meet in Brussels on Thursday.
Germany expects the Eurogroup to take no decision on a Greek bailout and accompanying bond swap at a meeting later on Thursday, a government official said, as the ground had not yet been laid for a deal.
Spanish government bond yields rose on Thursday as an unexpected issue of debt the previous day tempered investor demand, though any progress towards Greece receiving bailout funds was likely to spur fresh appetite for risk.
European shares closed in the green but off their session highs, as Wall Street was broadly flat, with enthusiasm over a deal in Greece on new austerity measures waning.
Greek leaders failed on Thursday to agree on a reform and austerity program, the price of a financial bailout to avoid a messy default, forcing Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos to go to the country's financial backers with an incomplete deal.
Thursday, 9 Feb 2012 | Posted By:
| Source: CNBC.com
Europe’s 20 richest football teams defied the continent’s financial woes to generate total revenue of $5.8 billion last season, according to a new report by business advisory firm Deloitte.